Heavy rain in parts of Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts since Tuesday morning, compounded by sporadic protests by people aggrieved over the pace of relief efforts, have hampered restoration work in the wake of Cyclone Gaja.
Moderate to heavy rainfall was recorded across cyclone-hit areas including Nagapattinam, Thiruthuraipoondi, Vedaranyam, Muthupettai, Pattukottai, Pudukottai, Mannargudi and Adirampattinam on Tuesday. Vedaranyam, one of the worst hit coastal towns, recorded 50 mm during the day. The sky was overcast all through the day, and there was intermittent rain in most parts of the delta districts.
Many parts of cyclone-hit areas have become slushy and muddy, causing inconvenience to the affected people and relief workers, officials said.
Amid rain and unfavourable working conditions, hundreds of workers, drawn from different parts of the State, continued efforts to restore the electricity network for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday. But the downpour slowed down restoration work. According to sources, power supply has been partially restored in Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai. But over 80% of the affected areas went without power and water supply for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday.
There was still no sign of the ordeal of the people of Vedaranyam, Thiruthuraipoondi, Pattukottai, Vaimedu, Velankanni, Orathanadu and other areas coming to an end due to the unavailability of drinking water, though the respective civic bodies were trying hard to pump out water using generators.
Despite assurances from the Chief Minister and Ministers, protests continued on Tuesday in different parts of Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts. Protesting against what they described as the tardy pace of relief and restoration work, aggrieved residents resorted to road-rokos in at least 15 places in delta districts.
Mammoth task
“We need to install more than 1 lakh electric poles in delta areas alone. Most of them will have to be installed in fields in villages. But the work areas have become slushy due to incessant rain. It is a big challenge,” a senior official of State power utility Tangedco told The Hindu .
The official said that agitations in some places had also delayed restoration work as the officials couldn’t transport the materials required, including poles.
